Film punch



Dec. 16, 1930; SPONABLE 1,785,215

FILM PUNCH Filed March 26. 1928 I I 6%5 A INVENTOR BY flTTo NEYS-Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARL IRA SPONABLE, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T FOX CASE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OYNEW YORK FILM PUNCH Application filed March 26, 1928.Serial No. 264,705.

This invention relates to a new andimproved device for puncturingnegative films from which are to, be made positive films for use inmoving picture apparatus and has particular reference to that part ofthe negative on which a sound record has been registered. V

In order to prepare a film for projection it is necessary that the filmbe spliced at various points along its length. In the case of filmswhich are used merely to project pictures these splices have no effectupon the visibility of the picture being projected. Where, however, asound record has been made along one edge of a film so that the soundsaccompanying the v icture being taken may be reproduced simultaneouslywith the reproduction of the picture, ithas been found that thesesplices are the cause 10 of a clicker interruption in the sound as theypassthe sound reproducing apparatus. It has also been found that theseclicks or interruptions may be avoided if the film or positive, at andadjacent the'place where it has been spliced, is rendered opaque, suchopaque portion tapering or being gradually reduced in area on eachsideof thesplice until the film again assumes the normal condition of thesound record.

most convenient means by which these portions at and adjacent the splicemay be rendered opaque consists in producing at the splice a properlyshaped perforation through the negative film from which the positivefilm, which is the one generally'used in projecting, is to bevmade. Thisis due to the fact that any perforation in a negative film will result.in a similarly'shaped opaqued re- 41.) gion or area on the positivefilmwhich is made fromit. p

In making these/perforations in a negative film it is essentiallthattheperforation be 'very exactlyplaced in the film and of a regular size,and the main objectof my invention is to produce a device by which theseperforations maybe easily and quickly made and with the assurance thatthey will be'po sitionedinexactly the proper places in the Other objectsand advantages relate to the size, shape and arrangement of parts all aswill more fully appear from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of my device showing the jaws in the open position.Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig ure 1,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a section online 4-4 of Figure '2 showing in dotted lines a portion of a negative;film in position inthe device.

Figure" 5 is a top view partially broken away of a negative film showinga perforation in the sound record. 7 It will be understood that mydevice may be used in conjunction with diiferenttypes of apparatus whichare capable of causing my punch and die to register one with the otherbut for the purpose of describing the functioning of a suitable device,I have shown an apparatus which consists of an upper hollow operatinglever -1- fulcrumed to a lower operating lever 2 by means of a pivot pin3-. A lower jaw 4i is pivotally mounted in the forward 7, v end of1ever- 1 by means of a pivot pin 30 It has also been found that the bestand.

-5 and is provided at its rear end with a slot 6- slidably mounted on arod -7 carried by the lower lever 2. A second jaw 8-- is in a similarmanner pivoted to the forward end of lower lever 2 by means of pivot pin9- and carries in its rear end a slot 10 slidably mounted on a rod 11-carried by upper lever 1-.

l The shape of levers 1 and 2 and the position ofpivot pins 5 and 9 withrelation to bars 7 and 11' is such that when the levers land 2 are movedwith relation to each other the jaws .4 and 8 will be moved to and fromeach other but will at all times remain in parallel relation.

I also provide a spring 12' between the handlesof levers l and 2. Thespring 12 is of a shape and tension to yieldingly hold the rear ends ofleversl and 2 apartso that normally the jaws 4: andfi Will beheld in the7 open position,

The forward end of upper jaw 8 is provided with a depending punch 13, inthis case shown as of the shape of a truncated wedge with the truncatedend facing rearwardly on the upper surface oi lower jaw l-. I provide adie -l;-lt securedinplaceby a screw -15- and pins l6- and '17 extendingrearwardly from the front end of jaw l and positioned so that punch 13will register with the hole l8- in thedie -1*lwhen the jaws l and 8 aremoved toward each other. On the upper surface of die -ll- I provide aback plate -19- secured in position on jaw 't by means of screw -20.Back plate -19- extends transversely of jaw -a and outwardly "from bothsides thereof for a purpose here inaiter to be described. A guide plate-'21- secured to'the upper surface of back plate 19 by intansot' screws2222. Guide plate -21- extends forwardly over die -ll'in spaced relationthereto and is provided with a hole -23- to permit the passagetherethrough of punch 13-. The

.- forward end of guide plate 21- is provided with an indexing slot 2%-of substantially the same width as the usual splice on a film. v

A vertical post 26 extends upwardly from lower jaw '4 and is securedtherein by means oi pin -2T-. Post 26' extends upwardly through anaperture ,-28- in upper jaw 8 and is provided with an upper threaded endfor the reception of nuts -29 and Upper jaw 8 carries a forwardlyextending tongue -81 which carries an aperture 32 positioned to receivethe upper end of post 26 when jaws -a and 8 are' moved toward eachother. Aperture will not permit the passage through it of nuts -29"- and30 so thnt when jaws 45 and 8 approach each other this movement will belimited by the engagement of nut 29 with the under surface oi tongue'3l'-. Nuts -'29 and 30 being vertically movable on post 26- the limitof movement of jaws i and 8 toward each other may be varied as desired.

The distance between guide plate -21- and die -14- is sutiiciently greatto permit the insertion therebetween of a film 33-, and the distancebetween hole '18 in die 1i and back plate 19 is such that when a film33- is inserted between guide plate -2l and die '1 i' and is heldagainst the front ace oi" back plate -'19, the hole -18 in die 1'' willbe positioned so that punch -13' will exactly reg ister on that part offilm -"3- which carries' the sound record shown as 34'on Figure 5. Inoperation a film is inserted between guide plate 2l and die with slot24- in guide plate -21 registered directly above splice :'25'.,] in film-33 and with the edge of iilin 3" positioned against back plate 19. Jaws4: and 8 are then moved towards each other which results in the downwardmovement of punch 13- against and through the portion 34:- of film 33-which carries the sound record, the cutaway portion of film passingoutwardly through a slot 36 in jaw 4,-. As perhaps may best be seen in-Figure 5, the hole -35 thus made in film 3 3 will remove from film 33--the entire portion of the sound record 34: which carries the splice -25and preferably similar symmetrical portions of sound record -3 l onopposite side of splice 25 will also be removed, such latter portionsgradually diminishing in area as they extend away fr'oin spl-ice -25.

It will be understood mature purpose of my device is to remove aport-ion o t soiiiid record so that when a positive fili'n, not shown,is made from a negative film 33 a section of the sound record portion ofthe positivefi-lmwillbe opaque; Theportion of the sound record at thepoi-ht oi the splice in the positive film will be entirely opaque andsuch opaqueness will continue from each side of thes'plice over agradually decreasing area until sound record portion again assumes thenormal condition of the sound record. In order to accomplishthis resultI have here shown a punch l3 of the shape of a truncated wedge but itwill be understood that punches of different shapes may be used, as forexample, a punch of the shape of a segment of a circle, the onlyrequirement being that the punch be so shaped that there will be removedfrom the sound record --34. all of the film in the splice -25 and thatother portions of the sound record 34- on opposite sides of splice -25will also be removed in gradually diminishing areas. It will also beunderstood that my punch- 13", die--'14, back plate 19 and guide plate"21'- may be used in conjunction with any device which is capable ofcausing punch to register in die '14.

Although I have shown and described a particular arrangement and form ofpart as an 'ex'emplification of an embodiment of my invention I do notdesire to restrict myself to the exact shape, form or ar'rangement oiparts as various changes may be made within thesc'ope of the appendedclaims.

I amine;

1. In a punch for removing spliced-pertions of a sou-rid record elementof a s'ound moving picture film, a punch, a" die, a back plate forpositioning the punch transversely of the film, a guide plate, and meansfor positioning the punch longitudinally of the film, said meanscomprising 0 "pasta fingers extending outwardly from t e guide plate andspaced apart a distance correspeaaiag; to the width of the splice.

2. In a punch for removing spliced portions of a sound record element,of a sound moving picture film and tapered portions of the sound recordon either side of the splice, a punch, a die, a back plate forpositioning the punch transversely of the film, a guide plate spacedabove the die, two parallel fingers extending outward from said guide:plate and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width ofthesplicefor accurately pipsitioning the punch longitudinally of the 3. In apunch forremoving spliced portions of a sound record element, of a soundI moving picturefilm and tapered portions of the sound record on eitherside of the splice, a punch, a die, a back plate for positioning thepunch transversely of the film, a guide plate spaced above the die, twoparallel fingers extending outward from said guide-plate and spacedsymmetrically with respect to the transverse center line of the die andapart a distancecorresponding to the width of the splice for accuratelypositioning the punch longitudinally of the film.

In witness'whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March,1928.

EARL I. SPONABLE.

